Informant
by Lallmon
Summary: The war didn't end at the Battle of Hogwarts. Years have passed and the Order struggles to gain ground against the Dark Lord and his forces. Finally, the Order might have an advantage they haven't since the death of Snape; an informant./ Mature content and language. Multi-Chap. AU
1. Chapter 1

I don't own anything Harry Potter related. All rights belong to J.K. Rowling. As always, I'm just someone who lays awake at night thinking up alternate plot lines.

* * *

They were losing with death eaters closing in from every direction. Combat med-witches were blurs of disapparation; popping in and out of existence taking wounded Order members to secure medical locations. The Order of the Phoenix had been making steady gains in the war, but today the tides were turning. The Order was being overrun, and most of their best fighters were injured. Hermione was dueling with one arm, and the inability to maintain her balance meant that she was now on the defensive instead of pushing the line forward. The odds of surviving today were slim, and Hermione knew that if they didn't find a way to retreat the Order would be annihilated.

Hermione saw a death eater break away and start running in the opposite directions of the fighting. If she could catch them, then they might be able to find out how Voldemorts's followers were able to get the drop on the Order. Hermione focused her mind and conjured a large circular saw blade and flung it at her opponent. The blade cut her opponent straight down the middle. The attack was crass but effective. Most death eaters didn't know how to respond when muggle weapons were used, or they underestimated the force they would need to circumvent an industrial steel blade. The death eaters were so stuck in their ways that most of their shields only protected them from magic and not physical projectiles. It was this folly that allowed Muggle-born wizards and witches an advantage on the battlefield.

Hermione hurtled over the felled wizard and lengthened her stride to follow the fleeing death eater, Hermione pushed her legs faster but she had been fighting for hours, and this death eater seemed to be fresh with barely a mark on his dark robes. The bastard barely seemed to exert any force as he careened off into the nearby wilderness. Hermione would never catch him. Her legs were burning and a painful stitch in her side pulsed with every breath. Hermione slowed but concentrated. The three D's came to her mind: destination, determination, and deliberation. Hermione ripped open the fabrics of time and space in a desperate attempted to catch her fleeing assailant. Hermione appeared behind him and fisted the cloth at his back, but only felt a moment of triumph as she felt herself once again being pulled into the void between time and space. She had fallen for the death eaters trap.

Hermione recovered from the shock of disapparation, but not quickly enough to avoid being pulled to the location of the death eaters choosing. Hermione fell to the ground and instantly felt chilled. Hermione righted herself but could not get ahold of her bearings. The area was pitch black, and the air smelled dank and stale. Hermione spun in a circle but could not gauge the location of the death eater she knew lurked in the darkness. The place hummed with a strange silence and Hermione could hear her blood rushing, and the harsh exhales of her breath.

Hermione pivoted slowly. _I will not die here_ , she thought. Hermione heard the rustling of robes and spun around again. Suddenly her wand flew out of her hand, and she was left defenseless.

"I did not bring you here to harm you," a guttered voice said from somewhere to her right. The place seemed to swallow the sound of the words.

Hermione slowly turned to face the direction the voice had come from. "Then why did you bring me here?"

"I have information that I think you will find useful." The voice seemed to be circling her.

"How can I trust you?" Hermione questioned sharply.

The sound of a wand being rolled on a hard surface met her ears, and she felt something bump into her shoe. Hermione bent down and picked up her wand. The familiar weight and texture calmed her nerves slightly. He was giving back her wand. Either he was honest or very foolish, and Hermione couldn't tell which. Hermione cast a quick lumos, but the death eater quickly stepped into the shadows. They seemed to be in a cavern and Hermione could faintly make out a tunnel leading off to her right. Should she make a break for it or listen to what he had to say? Considering she didn't know where the tunnel led to Hermione decided to listen.

"You have my attention," Hermione stated to the hooded figure.

"I am willing to pass on information to the Order of the Phoenix or participate in any capacity the Order sees fit."

"What is it you want in return?" Death eaters don't suddenly switch sides and not want anything in return, but Hermione didn't think this was a trap because death eaters didn't stand around and chat. While death eaters usually played with their food, Hermione was still basically intact, so this death eater was at least semi-truthful in his intentions. However, Hermione knew he didn't do this out of the goodness of his black heart.

"I want the war to end." He stated bluntly. "I don't have time to convince you of my intent. The prisoners taken today will be housed at the Nott estate-"

Hermione scoffed, "The Nott estate is nothing but a pile of rubble. Your forces abandoned it some six years ago." After the battle of Hogwarts, the Order had taken to systematically demolishing any houses that might be used by the Dark. The ruins of Malfoy Manor would never be inhabited again. The residual magic from the destruction caused by the Order meant the land would forever be a wasteland. Magical destruction of that magnitude left an imprint that might never fade. Creatures whether magical or not would not come within five miles of the place.

"Listen, you insolent bred," he spat "you were not so thorough when you attacked the Nott estate. The Nott estate has dungeons far vaster than the former manor that stood above it."

Hermione's lip curled. _Bred_. Death Eaters were a stain on the earth, and he dared call her a bred. The Order had taken after Voldemort and tabooed the word mud blood to help them locate their camps. The taboo had helped the Order in the early years make advancements. The death eaters were not a group who practiced self-restraint. Now though, the called people they deemed of lesser blood status bred. The reference meant they were more like animals than humans.

Hermione snarled, " _flipendo corpus_!" The death eater slammed into the wall behind him. Hermione kept her wand raised and advanced. "I would watch your tongue scum, least I cut it out."

"Taking after Bellatrix, I see" he rasped.

"She taught me some useful interrogation techniques. Ones that would curl even your toes death eater" Hermione hissed. Before Hermione killed Bellatrix Lestrange, Bella had made it her personal mission to capture Hermione. Bella never got over Hermione escaping Malfoy Manor and captured Hermione again during a raid on Knockturn Alley. The four days Hermione had endured in her care had taught Hermione a valuable lesson about what really happened in the war. Hermione strangled Bella to death with her bare hands just like a muggle criminal. Hermione never regretted snuffing the life out of Bellatrix Lestrange. Only Harry and Ron knew how Hermione escaped her capture. Hermione knew others suspected, but they never asked.

The death eater started to struggle for breath, and Hermione loosened her hold. He slid down the wall into a crumpled heap.

"The Nott estate-" he started but coughed and spat blood. "The Nott estate is still being used. There are powerful enchantments used to conceal the entrance, but they are not unbreakable." He paused and clutched his side.

"Go on" Hermione probably broke a couple of his ribs in her anger.

"The prisoners will be taken there and housed for execution. The place will probably have hundreds of bodies both dead and alive. I do not know how long they will be kept, but I doubt after a couple of days anyone will be worth saving."

He was probably right. The Order knew that anyone taken alive was sent to torture houses before they were killed. Sometimes dozens of bodies would appear randomly after a skirmish to remind the Order that at the end of the day they still lost. Any death no matter the advancement on the battlefield meant defeat. Even if someone in a pile was still breathing, they either never regain consciousness or were a danger to themselves and others. This meant that if his intel was correct that they would have to orchestrate a rescue immediately.

Hermione pointed her wand at the death eater, " _Vulnere Sana_." Hermione heard his ribs snap back together. Not the best healing spell but Hermione's knowledge of medicine was in combat lifesaving and not bedside manners.

"So the Nott estate is in the Peak District which isn't easy to travel through."

"The Nott estate is in Dark Peak, but the moors will offer both cover and concealment."

"Yes, but it offers your side cover and concealment as well" Hermione pointed out.

The death eater raised slowly to his feet using the wall as support. "The guards are mostly dementors with only a few wizards for overwatch. Attacking during the day will offer you the best advantage. I would attack shortly after dawn. The death eaters who come into torture prisoners usually arrive in the late afternoon and leave before dawn. The dementors will also be at their weakest."

Hermione had to admit his plan had promise. This wouldn't turn the tide of the war, but it would boost morale for the Order. The Order would need it after the crippling defeat of today's battle.

"Again what do you get out of helping me?"

"For fuck's sake Granger! I want bloody nothing in return. Did it ever cross your mind that some of us didn't choose to follow a psychotic monster?"

Hermione knew that voice. The way he sneered her last name was all too familiar.

"Bloody hell, Malfoy?" Hermione peered into the darkness.

Malfoy slowly lowered his hood, "in the flesh."

* * *

I have a couple chapters done for this fic that I will hopefully be posting soon. I was going to wait to post until I was completely finished but I just couldn't wait. For those of you looking for a caring and compassionate Hermione that is all rainbows and butterflies, I am not the writer for you. If you love a Hermione with an attitude and an all around bad ass then please read on! This is a dramione but expect some other character pairings. XOXOX Lall

My crappy made up spells. I use the google translator for Latin.

 _flipendo corpus-_ The knock back jinx with an emphasis on it being a body.

 _Vulnere Sana-_ wound healthy


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione stormed through base camp. Her robes snapped behind her as she weaved between tents. Hermione muttered as she went completely ignoring the strange looks.

"I can't believe I'm even going to propose this."

"I must be mental."

"The council will never believe me."

"Malfoy. The bloody fucking ferret."

"Malfoy... ugh."

Hermione reached the command tent and pushed the flaps aside to step in. Around the table stood Harry and Ron with Remus who was waving his wand above a map. The men looked up as Hermione entered.

"Hermione! Where in Merlin's beard have you been?" Ron shouted.

"Forget where I have been Ronald." Hermione swept the map from the table. "I was able to obtain information about our prisoners of war."

"Information?" Harry asked.

"Listen, we don't have much time. The Nott estate-"

"The Nott estate" Remus scoffed.

Hermione slammed her palm on the table, "bugger all! Yes, the Nott estate! Pay attention will you."

The boys looked at each other in confusion. Hermione usually wasn't so testy.

"The Nott estate has a significant network of dungeons that we missed in our initial sweep. It's been years since we paid any attention to the ruins and in that time the Death Eaters have returned. It's these dungeons where they keep our captured soldiers."

"Hermione where did you come by this information?" Harry wanted to know.

At least he didn't doubt her, Hermione thought.

"Right now that doesn't matter. What matters is that we rescue those who have been taken and make sure Riddle's forces can never use those grounds again." The urgency in Hermione's voice seemed to startle Remus.

"Hermione, can we trust this information? There were countless witches and wizards taken yesterday." Remus appeared to realize the gravity of the words Hermione spoke. Rescuing their imprisoned forces could strengthen the Order's resolve. For months they had been searching in vain to find where captured Order members were taken and always came up empty handed.

"Honestly Remus I'm not sure we are in a position to disregard this. I'll admit that this could be a trap, but if it isn't?" Hermione questioned.

"If it isn't and we do nothing then we sacrifice our people and live with the guilt of knowing we could have saved them" Harry stated solemnly.

"Bloody hell." Ron's face turned a sickly shade of green.

"We need to call the council." Hermione watched as Harry, Ron, and Remus nodded in agreement.

* * *

Hermione repeated all the information Malfoy told her to the war council. Hermione waited on baited breath. The war council really only represented the few original Order of the Phoenix members plus a few members of Dumbledore's Army. Each person brought their own set of skills that made them a valuable asset.

At the head of the table sat Harry who over the years had become the best dueler in all of Britain. His quick thinking and lightning reflexes made him a formidable adversary. Not to mention Harry's incredible skills as a legilimens and occulmens. Very few people were able to master both skills as efficiently as Harry fully. Even Severus Snape was not so skilled in the arts of the mind. Harry's mind skills had proved essential early in the war. Harry was able to pilfer Riddle's mind for locations and battle plans. It was frustrating how many advantages the Order had in the early days, and yet they couldn't capture old snake face.

To Harry's right sat Ronald Weasley. Hermione was always amazed at how people assumed Ron only held a seat at the war table because he was Harry Potter's best friend. However, Ron earned his place just like everyone else. While Harry was quick and agile, Ron was brute strength. Ron could power through even the thickest of shields. Ron poured his heart and soul into each spell he cast which in turn made even the most basic of spells powerful. Ron's determination and steadfast wand work made him a deadly threat on the battlefield.

Next to Ron sat Remus Lupin. The last surviving Marauder. Remus was an esteemed wizard in his own right, but what made him an asset was the very thing he hated most about himself. Over the years, the Order had developed a potion for Lupin and his affliction. A potion that let him not only control his changes but also maintain his werewolf attributes while in human form. His sight, smell, and reflexes were ten times as sharp as a normal wizard. Remus had not needed to be shifted into a werewolf for almost three years.

Even more shocking than Ron's place on the war council was the seat occupied next to Remus by Neville Longbottom. While many people thought the beheading of Nagini was a fluke, including Neville himself, Neville's knowledge in herbology was a vital to their cause. The knowledge Neville possessed had over the years even surpasses that of Pomona Sprout. Neville's expertise was mixing toxic bombs that did everything from nerve paralysis to sudden death. Not to mention, Neville's keen eye and ability to find potion ingredients kept the Order alive and well stocked. Neville would often partake danger scouting mission to obtain rare ingredients for the Order's use or to sell on black markets for funds to keep the Order afloat.

Next to Neville but not as surprising sat Molly Weasley. When Arthur Weasley had died at the Battle of Hogwarts, many thought Molly wouldn't survive the heartache. However, Molly often said that she found the will to carry on when she looked at her children and grandchildren, and she was determined to see her great-grandchildren live in a world where this war was but a distant memory. Molly took care of the Order's logistical duties. Molly was responsible for every item within the Order's purview. The food needed to feed their vast army, blankets to keep members warm, and dueling gear for the fighters were only a few of the many things Molly oversaw on a daily basis. Molly joked that after years of mothering the Weasley clan she was aptly prepared for her position within the Order.

At the opposite end of the table sat Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Minister of Magic, technically. The Ministry was a joke with department heads who hid in their homes to cowardly to fight. The Ministry of Magic was another location where one of the fiercest battles of the war had taken place. It was true that Ministry workers didn't have an official place of business, but you didn't see any of them fighting with the Order. Most of them were in hiding waiting for order to be restored to the British wizarding community so they could reclaim their jobs and demand back payment for work they never did. Still, Shacklebolt was a beacon of light for many British wizards and even wizards abroad. How many countries could boast that their figurehead was a front line soldier? He was also the Order's liaison with muggle authorities and foreign wizarding nations. Percy Weasley was his undersecretary and successor should anything happen to him. No one wanted to have to listen to Percy.

Andromeda Tonks sat on the other side of Shacklebolt directly across from Molly. Andromeda advised the war council on their medical needs and stood in place of Poppy Pomfrey. Poppy was needed around the clock to care for the Order's sick and wounded, so Andromeda now sat in her place on the Council. Andromeda's knowledge on the pureblood families also meant that she provided insight into Riddle's inner circle and was often consulted before raids on family estates. Many often thought because of her close resemblance to her sister Bellatrix she would favor dueling to healing, but Andromeda was a gentle soul. She much preferred saving a life to taking one.

Rubeus Hagrid sat on Andromeda the other side. Hagrid's giant blood had once been point of contention, but now no one batted an eye. Wizards now broke bread and slept beside an array of non-wizards. The Order's base camp housed giants, werewolves, vampires, goblins, centaurs, house elves, and hags. It's amazing how the threat of total annihilation seemed to melt previous prejudices. Hagrid was the only one that seemed to be able to mediate tensions between the wizards within the camp and the other sentient creatures. Hagrid was also the only one who seemed to be able to rally the Giants fighting for the Order. Plus Hagrid had a reputation among the Order's forces and also the Death Eaters. Many referred to Hagrid as Skull Cracker. In fact, the Giants hailed him as the mighty skull cracker because Hagrid would often seize two Death Eaters in battle and smash their heads together. Brutish but effective and it gained him the respect of the giants.

Probably the only person not questioned about their position on the council was Minerva McGonagall. While McGonagall no longer fought on the front lines, she was still an important asset. She oversaw the training fields even from the confines of her wheelchair. Some of the younger fighters often thought that her wheelchair meant she had nothing to teach, but She often dueled from her chair and taught them a thing or two. Never underestimate the enemy no matter how weak they look. Minerva was also the voice of reason when everyone at the table screamed for blood. More often than not she was the deciding factor when decisions were made.

The last seat occupied seated Hermione Granger. Hermione specialized in obscure spells long forgotten which also meant that their counterspell was also forgotten. Plus, Hermione's ingenuity on the battlefield left Death Eaters scrambling for ways to effectively block her attacks. Hermione even collaborated with everyone at the table. It was Hermione and Neville who created the altered Wolfsbane potion. Hermione who spent hours researching new ailments for the medwitches. Hermione was a jack of all trades.

Still, even though each person had their own area of expertise, they made decisions together. The decision to raid the Nott dungeons could prove to be a great success or their worst mistake. The intel provided by Malfoy could make this raid a cake walk, but it could also make it a trap.

Shacklebolt was the first to move. He stood up and rested his arms on the back of his chair. "This could be a trap. How do you know this intel is good? Where did we even get this kind of information?"

In for a penny in for a pound, Hermione thought.

Hermione leaned forward and knocked her knuckle on the table. "I was approached by someone at our last skirmish. This individual gave me this knowledge with nothing in return and a promise to provide further information to help our cause."

"Oi! You didn't mention that earlier" Ron exclaimed leaning across the table to look Hermione in the eyes.

Hermione sighed, "I didn't promise anything in return, but this person approached me. They even had the opportunity to harm me and didn't. A spy within Riddle's ranks, think on it, we haven't had this kind of advantage since Snape."

Andromeda looked troubled, "yes, but we knew where Snape's true loyalties laid. We can't say the same for whoever this person might be."

Merlin help me, Hermione thought. "I know, but I trust them. I think we need to act on this. Give me a small group and if it's not a trap then send in reinforcements."

Molly pressed her palms to the table in front of her. "I think Hermione is right. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if we didn't at least try."

Hermione watched the expressions of the others at the table. She knew she would get support from Molly, Harry, Ron and probably Lupin but the others she wasn't so sure. Andromeda usually sided with Molly, but she was always a wildcard. Neville always weighed the odds carefully, but wouldn't go with a plan that meant more casualties. Hagrid always went with the majority. The only two who determined the vote of today were McGonagall and Shacklebolt. The council had to agree unanimously.

Again Shacklebolt spoke, "We have to try at least. Our troops need to see that we care and are willing to save them. I don't like our odds, but if word got out that we did nothing with this, then we could lose support." Kingsley always looked at things from a political angle.

Everyone turned their eyes to McGonagall who still sat deep in thought.

"I don't like this, but I trust you, Hermione. I cannot stress to you all the risk is this to take but not to take it would mean abandoning our own. If we are nothing else, we are loyal to our cause and loyal to those who fight for us. I think whoever this person knows we would not pass up a chance to rescue our own. I think we are being manipulated, but to what end I do not know" McGonagall sounded weary.

"I agree that whoever this is, knew we wouldn't just leave people behind, but their knowledge is in depth. As if they had been planning this for a while. I think perhaps this person waited until they had information we would find valuable before approaching us" Harry reasoned.

Sometimes it was nice having Harry on her side. She watched as members of the council nodded in agreement with Harry's statement.

"Whatever the case, we need to act quickly. Hermione do you already have an idea of who you wish to take with you?"

Hermione nodded.

Malfoy best hope this wasn't a trap because if she survived, she would rip out his heart herself.


	3. Chapter 3

Hermione was nervous. She spent all night going over what Andromeda knew of the Nott estate and the brief sketch Malfoy provided her. There were a million ways today could go wrong, and Hermione had placed her faith in the hands of a death eater. She put her life and Remus's life in the hands of Draco Malfoy, along with twenty other Order members.

Hermione sat on her cot trying to take deep breaths. She didn't have much time to pull herself together. Her small rescue party would depart for the Nott estate at two o'clock to give them enough time to scout the area. They wanted to be well embedded in the terrain before sunrise. Most of their group consisted of werewolves who could best blend in and harder for the dementors to sense. Their keen senses also meant less time they would waste searching for survivors. They didn't have the luxury of retrieving their dead.

The idea was they would arrive ten miles east of the Nott estate and make their way slowly to an embankment that circled up toward the back of the ruined manor. Hermione would make her way to the entrance Malfoy designated in his drawing, and she would begin to break through the protective enchantments. The Welsh pack alpha would be her backup, protecting her back as she focused on breaking through the wards. Bill Weasley was always the first choice when breaking into heavily warded places, but everyone agreed that he couldn't be risked. The likelihood of this mission being successful was almost a moot point. They sent only those they felt had the greatest chances of getting out alive.

Ron poked his head in her tent through the front flap.

"You should be trying to rest" Ron advised. He made is way over to her cot and sat down next to her. Even when Ron was a prat his presence was soothing.

"I know. I just can't seem to make myself relax. Every other minute I start to call off this whole mission only to convince myself we need to see it through" Hermione sounded drained.

"Hermione if you think this is a bad idea, the council will call off the mission. You know that." Ron's trust in her was profound.

"The thing is that I have this gut instinct to trust the person who gave me the information." Hermione didn't operate on gut feelings.

Ron chuckled, "I know how much stock you put in intuition."

"That's not true. Yours and Harry's intuition has saved our lives on more than one occasion. The problem is I don't trust my own intuition. I never make decisions on gut instinct, and I'm using it in a situation that could cost me my life. All my better judgment is telling me that it has to be a trap. The only logical answer is that I am leading us into a trap" Hermione's voice filled with emotion.

"I trust you." Ron grabbed her hand and held it between his own.

"What if you shouldn't?" Hermione challenged.

* * *

The entire group vibrated with tension. So far they hadn't encountered any problems. The trek through the moors hadn't been easy, but they now rested on the crest of the embankment watching the Nott estate. They had less than half an hour before the sun would rise. Hermione nodded to the Welsh alpha and slipped under the invisibility cloak. The Alpha would be able to follow her scent.

Every sound, every twig that snapped beneath her feet sounded amplified. The walk to the entrance of the dungeons felt kilometers away instead of only a few meters. The closer Hermione inched to the passageway, the more Hermione felt the hum of magic. The area pulsed with magic and Hermione couldn't believe they missed the wards during their initial raid.

Hermione stopped and stretched her hands out sensing for a ripple. The opening should be close, and all she had to do was let her magic seek the magical enchantments. The Welsh alpha Arawn crouched low watching her movements. It was slightly unnerving that he could sense her even while invisible. Still, Arawn was one the Order's best trackers, and like Remus was formidable with a wand.

Hermione jerked to her right and watched the air before her turn pearlescent before shimmering into nothing. She had found the entrance. Hermione drew her wand from her cloak and started to test the wards on the entrance. She weaved her wand back and forth looking for a weak point to begin. Near the bottom, she felt the charms give slightly as she skimmed her wand across.

Hermione tapped her wand against the fissure. _Patentibus_.

The wards only flickered, and Hermione frowned. Nonverbal spells were always tricky and sometimes lacked the strength and focus of spoken spells, but she couldn't risk even a whisper.

Again, Hermione tapped her wand. _Revelabo Stultitiam_. The small fissure she felt in the ward widen, and she smelled putrid air.

Hermione started to tap her wand in a static rhythm. _Latius, Latius, Latius, Latius_ …

The opening slowly started to corrode at every point Hermione's wand touched. She could feel the heat being exchanged from her wand and the wards. She had to use simple spells with small doses of power or else she could alert someone. Malfoy told her that no one strictly monitored any of the entrances but a big enough jolt to the wards would send out an alarm. Their window of opportunity was small, and the pressure of failure weighed on her conscience heavily. Rivers of sweat ran down her back, and perspiration dotted her upper lip.

Hermione could tell that Arawn was getting anxious. He was periodically looking to the east searching for the sun. They were racing the golden rays of morning. The light was just beginning to crest the embankment, and they had minutes to open the passageway and seconds to get everyone through.

Hermione was forcing herself not to react to the smell emitting for the ever-widening hole she created. Her throat convulsed every time a draft of air coasted past her face.

The ward over the entrance finally gave way, and the distant sound of dripping water met Hermione's ears.

Hermione touched the tip of her wand to the stone at the top of the passageway, _Receperint Nobis_. Again the air shimmered and fell like a curtain with a welcoming heat. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. Hermione twisted the wrist of the hand that held the invisibility cloak over her head. She shivered as the protective material exposed her. Hermione looked at Arawn and nodded. Arawn looked back toward the embankment and whistled. Hermione couldn't hear the sound of his whistle but knew the others would head his call.

Lupin suddenly materialized in front of her and took his position on the other side of the entrance. They would be casting disillusionment charms on everyone who entered the dungeons. The first pair appeared, and Hermione and Lupin tapped their wands on their heads, _Calamitatis_. The first pair disappeared before Hermione's eyes, and the next pair stepped up. It took less than a minute to disillusion all the pairs and themselves.

Hermione took a deep breath of clean air and plunged herself into the darkness.

* * *

Hermione followed the sounds of moaning. Her footsteps would have echoed, but the sounds of torment drowned out all other sounds. Hermione looked on in stoic determination. The only reason she could function was that she locked away her humanity in the farthest recesses of her mind. One day the demons of the war would come for her but today humanity had no place in her heart.

Hermione followed the sounds of moaning. Her footsteps would have echoed, but the sounds of torment drowned out all other sounds. Hermione looked on in stoic determination. The only reason she could function was that she locked away her humanity in the farthest recesses of her mind. One day the demons of the war would come for her but today humanity had no place in her heart.

The whispers of _alohomora_ added to the calamity of noise ricocheting off the stone walls. Hermione had yet to meet a single entity human or otherwise. It looked like Malfoy's intel was correct after all. Hermione should feel elated, but she only felt more confused. Hermione would never trust a Malfoy.

The first crack of apparition made Hermione jump. Reinforcements from base camp arrived and flew past Hermione. Her heart beat a little faster, but otherwise, her demeanor remained detached. Reinforcements meant the first wave of prisoners were secure at base camp.

Hermione moved deeper still into the myriad of tunnels and cells. She passed members of the Order levitating some and ushering others past her. Some were members taken at the battle, and some Hermine couldn't even begin to guess at their origin. Based on Malfoy's rough sketch she should be reaching the last cell blocks on the north side of the dungeons. Lupin had been tasked with reaching the furthest blocks on the south side.

Hermione could see the final cell blocks when shouts came from behind her. Screaming started to ring out, and it seems the Order no longer cared about stealth. The death eaters had finally arrived. Hermione let regret rush through her system. She wouldn't be able to retrieve the last of the prisoners. Hermione needed to disparate back to base camp before the Order leveled the place. She had a handful of minutes at most, but she couldn't make herself leave. The had come so close, and she failed. This moment would haunt her for the rest of her life.

* * *

*****I struggle a little with this chapter but I'm glad I finally finished. Thanks to everyone who is following and faving the story. You guys are so awesome! I went a little incantation crazy but who doesn't love some spell work. Arawn obviously is an original character and I really toyed with adding a character that wasn't a part of the series. I feel like sometimes having original characters work well and other times are dumb. Let me know what you guys think. XOXO Lall

 _Patentibus-_ open

 _Revelabo Stultitiam-_ expose

 _Latius-_ More broadly

 _Receperint Nobis-_ Welcome us

Arawn- Welsh for unrestrained wildness


	4. Chapter 4

Hermione couldn't believe the raid actually went as planned. The raid went exactly as planned. In the last eight years, she had been fighting; the Order never had a plan go as perfectly as the raid on the Nott estate. The fact that the information came from Malfoy grated on her nerves.

The fact that Malfoy showed up at the end of the raid and helped threw Hermione through a loop. The Order had been running out of time, and Hermione still had twenty or so cells to unlock and two minutes to do so. Hermione knew she wouldn't be able to save the last of the prisoners, but she was willing to die trying. Then a death eater appeared before her as she started on another cell block and Hermione raised her wand to curse him when Malfoy slid his mask down to make eye contact. He cocked an eyebrow before spinning around and sprinting to the other cell block, unlocking cells as he went.

Before Malfoy disappeared, she felt him brush against her mind giving her the date, time, and location of their next rendezvous. The cheeky bastard cut her a salute before disapparating. He was lucky none of the other Order members were around, but it seemed Malfoy was strategically inclined. Hermione would bet half her book collection that he had been waiting in the shadows to appear.

Sadly, after the successful raid, Hermione would not be killing Draco Malfoy. The simple fact that he told the truth infuriated her. Him showing up and helping her rescue the last prisoners only rubbed salt in her wounds. Hermione wanted to relish killing the last Malfoy heir and end the line of dark wizards. However, if Hermione wanted to be truthful, in the back of her mind, she knew Malfoy's information would ring true.

Hermione slipped out of base camp using Harry's cloak. Every few feet she would turn around to make sure she wasn't being followed. She reached a nearby stream that would mask the sound of her dissapparation and turned on the spot.

* * *

Hermione appeared in the dank cavern.

Of course, Malfoy would pick a meeting spot as dismal as his black soul, Hermione thought without humor.

"Took you long enough," Malfoy drawled from the shadows.

"Ortus" Hermione muttered throwing a glowing orb toward the ceiling of the cavern. The orb disconnected from her wand and bounced against the roof dispersing an array of smaller glowing orbs, resembling mini suns. The cavern filled with soft sunlight casting a yellow glow on Hermione's face.

"Is the mask necessary?" Hermione asked sardonically. Malfoy lounged against the cavern wall in his death eater garb. The standard death eater mask of a skull did not even reveal his colorless eyes.

Malfoy pulled the mask off and pushed his hood back. His white-blonde hair looked almost angelic in the light of Hermione's spell. Hermione eyed him critically. Malfoy had not changed much in the years since Hogwarts. He still wore his hair long and slicked back with the ends resting on the nap of his neck. He had always been tall but a bit lanky. Hermione guessed he was probably over six feet now and a sturdy fourteen stones. No doubt in a physical fight Malfoy would easily be able to hold his own, unlike in his Hogwarts years. Based on size Malfoy might even be able to hold his own against Ron, but it was Malfoy, so that was wholly unlikely.

"Does my wardrobe make you uncomfortable Granger?"

"No, but your mere presence makes me sick" Hermione answered sweetly.

Draco scowled, "and yet here you are in my presence. You must be in physical agony breathing the same air."

Hermione smiled, "perhaps but you're the one who is helping the Order." Malfoy's scowl depended. "So why don't we get down to business."

Hermione conjured a chair and writing table. Hermione sat down and looked expectantly at Malfoy.

"Would it have killed you to conjure a chair for me as well?" Malfoy inquired. He walked over to the writing table and conjured his own chair.

"You are a capable wizard" Hermione stated. "Now, I have to say that I'm impressed with your information on the Nott estate but what exactly can you offer the Order?"

Straight to business then, Draco thought.

Draco leaned across the table, "Let's get some things straight, Granger. I want the war over just as much as you lot. I am prepared to do whatever I can to assure the Order's victory. I'll give you whatever information the Order wants and any information I think could be valuable. You obviously believe my intentions to some extent, or you wouldn't have shown up."

Hermione growled and leaned across the table to look Malfoy in the eyes. "I believe shite all from you, but I am willing to use the information you have because we need to win this war. I promise you Malfoy when all is said and done you will pay for your crimes."

Draco leaned back and glanced away. "I can prove to you that I am not the evil you think."

Hermione paused. Malfoy seemed resigned and somewhat uncomfortable, but she was intrigued. Hermione doubted Malfoy could prove anything, but she was interested in whatever lie he decided to spew.

Malfoy withdrew his hand, and Hermione tensed, but he pointed his wand away from her.

"Expecto Patronum" Draco whispered. A small lissome creature exploded from the end of his wand and glided around the room. Hermione watched in fascination.

Casting a Patronus was advanced magic but not unobtainable, unless you were a dark wizard. There were many theories on why dark wizards could not summon their magical guardians, but it was all speculation. Some thought that dark wizards lack or cannot comprehend the emotions needed to cast a Patronus, while others believe dark wizards had nothing worth protecting. However, the indisputable fact was that no known dark wizard could produce even silver vapor. Hermione wasn't sure of her opinion on the matter. Hermione suspected that dark wizards were incapable of feeling the true happiness needed to summon a Patronus. Her theory would also explain why death eaters were able to work in close proximity to dementors and appear unaffected. The death eaters lacked the very thing that fed dementors; the true and pure happiness of a soul untouched by darkness. The knowledge that Malfoy could produce a corporeal Patronus changed everything. Draco Malfoy had a pure soul.

Hermione sat in her chair with her mouth hanging open as a silvery ferret landed in her lap. She looked across the desk at Malfoy who was trying to appear bored. The silver creature in her lap gave her one last inquisitive glance before dissolving. The irony that Malfoy's Patronus was a ferret was not lost on her, but Hermione decided against mentioning that fact. Patronus's were incredibly personal and often not lightly shared. Hermione might detest Malfoy, but she wouldn't laugh at his Patronus.

Malfoy cleared his throat, "I don't think we will have to discuss this again."

Hermione looked at Malfoy with new eyes. Hermione felt that she need to give something equally to him. Hermione flicked her wand, and her otter pranced across the table to bounce around Malfoy's head.

Malfoy sighed in irritation, "I already knew the form of your Patronus."

Hermione shrugged her shoulders. For whatever reason, it only seemed fair she conjure her Patronus for him in return.

"Malfoy," Hermione began "I have to say I'm shocked. I'm not even sure what to say."

"Look, Granger, if this thing is going to work we are going to have to trust each other. I didn't show you so that we could have a bloody moment over it."

"Okay," Hemione drawled out the word.

"I knew you would be a difficult bitch about this" Draco huffed.

Hermione didn't even react to his slur. His verbal abuse seemed to lose its punch in the wake of his happy ferret.

Again Malfoy looked uncomfortable, "Granger if you repeat any of this I will kill you." They both knew she would never tell. "My mother protected me from my family. She protected me from my father. It was my mother that taught me to cast a Patronus in the first place."

Hermione barely breathed too afraid a noise might break Malfoy out of his suddenly talkative mood.

"My mother was never into the dark arts and always tried to keep me away from them as well. You want to know my motivation for ending the war? I don't want my mother to die in vain."

Hermione knew that Narcissa Malfoy had died after the Battle of Hogwarts, but the circumstances around her death were hazy. Still, that was eight years ago and who knows what Malfoy had done in that time.

"Why not act sooner?" Hermione wanted to know.

"I couldn't risk casting any more suspicion on myself. Everyone knew I wasn't my father's son." Malfoy stated bluntly.

"You father-"

"My father," Malfoy hissed "is the reason my mother is rotting in a shallow grave. He stood by and did nothing while she was tortured and raped."

Hermione winced, but Malfoy carried on, "My mother spared the life of Harry Potter. She signed her death warrant the moment she lied to the Dark Lord, and my father, instead of protecting his own wife he thought only of protecting himself and reaffirming his devotion to the filth he calls master."

Hermione nodded. The scenario Malfoy painted was very plausible.

"So you want revenge for your mother's death?" A worthy cause in Hermione's opinion.

Draco rolled his eyes, "I don't just want revenge, Granger. I never wanted to serve the Dark Lord. All I wanted was to impress my father, but I learned too late the cost of impressing dear old daddy. I might have been a coward before Granger, but I'm not a coward now. I will fight for what I know is right. I would have been useless to the Order before, but now I'm in a position where I can pass information without raising suspicion."

Hermione was impressed.

"Well alright then Malfoy. Welcome to the Order of the Phoenix." Hermione tried to maintain a neutral expression in lieu of all of Malfoy's declarations.

"This doesn't mean I like you or your kind" Draco clarified.

"I wouldn't expect otherwise, Malfoy."


	5. Chapter 5

Hermione watched the training grounds as the healed witches and wizards she helped rescue tested their limits. Some were in better shape than others. Captivity can do strange things to a person's mind, and even the two days they spent in the Nott dungeons had changed some of the fighters. Only time would tell if they would move past the things they witnessed in the black abyss. It was shocking how easily the mind could be broken, and Hermione was no stranger to the dark recesses of her mind.

Three weeks passed and nary a word from Malfoy. Hermione knew communication between them would be jilted, but the silence on his part was unnerving. They agreed after their last meeting that it was too risky for Hermione to make contact which meant she had to wait for Malfoy to reach out. Malfoy had been especially vague on how he planned to make contact. Unfortunately, Hermione underestimated Malfoy regarding his skills as a wizard and apparently, his soul.

Malfoy had shocked her to the core when he produced a Patronus. Hermione was so shocked she forgot to question him about his ability as a legilimens. The only other living person she knew who had the power to brush against her mind was Harry. Severus Snape might have been able to make contact with her mind, but that was only speculation since he was dead. Hermione's mind shields were impenetrable, and Malfoy shouldn't have been able to even sense her consciousness, and yet he did. Just like Malfoy shouldn't be able to conjure a Patronus but yet Hermione saw the silvery guardian with her own eyes. A death eater of Malfoy's caliber producing a corporeal Patronus made Hermione questions things she would rather not think about.

Things like how she struggled to produce even a wisp of vapor after killing Bella. Sure, Hermione had taken a life in battle but never had she relished the kill like when she'd snuffed out Bella. The black rage that had consumed her was the only reason she was still breathing. Hermione knew the moment when the light left Bella's eyes that she had a black stain on her soul. When she couldn't call forth her otter, it was like the magic knew she was tainted. Oddly enough it was Ron who spent hours coaching her and talking to her about the darkness she felt. Slowly the darkness abated, but it always seemed closer than before.

 _GRANGER!_

Hermione reeled as pain exploded across her front temporal lobe. The bloody idiot was trying to turn her brain to mush. She opened her mental shields and winced.

You know where to be…

She knew where Malfoy could find his balls after she was with finished him.

* * *

"Took you long enough, bred." Malfoy sat lounging on a chair he conjured.

Hermione snarled and whipped out her wand.

"I'm warning you Malfoy, I'll-"

"Kill me, maim me, otherwise dispose of my body. Yes, I know Granger" Malfoy yawned.

"YOU STUPID MISERABLE-"

"Cockroach?" Malfoy supplied. He looked at his finger nails in boredom.

"FERRET-FACED FUCK!" Hermione bellowed. She wasn't sure what was more infuriating, his bored behavior or his insult. Either way, she planned to ruin his too perfect face until he looked like Hagrid's backside.

'Granger I'm just taking the piss out of you. I just wanted to make sure you weren't feeling too comfortable."

Hermione stalked over to him and pressed her wand to his throat.

"Malfoy, don't care how clean your soul might be, I won't hesitate to destroy you."

"I'm glad we have an understanding then." Malfoy glanced down at her wand still pointed at his throat.

Hermione pocketed her wand, "Prat." Malfoy was the only living person who could wind her up in one sentence.

Hermione conjured a chair and took a seat so she could scowl at him. He wasn't wearing his typical death eater garb but instead charcoal robes. The silver serpent fastenings looked sinister. Upon closer inspection, Malfoy even looked a bit sick. His skin was shallower than usual. The dark circles he usually sported were more prominent under his eyes. His posture stiff like he was in pain.

Malfoy slicked back his hair with his hands and winced. "I see you were able to receive my message."

"Receive your message?" Hermione stated contemptuously.

Malfoy only looked at her lasciviously and winked.

"How in the bloody hell were you even able to contact my mind like that?" Hermione thundered.

"You were thinking about me" Malfoy smirked.

"Bullocks, you know damn well I would never think of you."

Malfoy had the audacity to laugh, "you were thinking of me, Granger. I wouldn't have been able to contact you otherwise. If it makes you feel better, I've been meditating on thoughts of you for the last three weeks. I'm actually hurt you haven't thought of me sooner." Malfoy put his hand to his chest in mock distress.

Hermione only raised one honeyed brow.

"It takes a lot of concentration to seek out the mind you want. Every mind is different with a different flavor. You have a particularly strong mind, but it's still easy enough to find your flavor among the thousands in your camp."

"Malfoy, the Order base camp is protected against mind attacks."

"True, but I didn't mean to attack you, did I? Honestly it's probably the only useful skill Snape ever taught me."

"So, you were waiting for me to think about you?" Hermione questioned.

"When you are thinking about me your mind is more open to receiving my messages. I'm not sure I would have been able to contact you if you hadn't been thinking of me."

"What you're saying is that by thinking of you, I basically had a sign saying your name offering you a way into my mind?" Hermione sounded concerned.

"Don't worry Granger; I can't read your thoughts. Your dirty thoughts about the Weasel are safe in your head" Draco remarked.

"Feck off" Hermione retorted.

"Did you know you have quite a mouth on you?" Draco inquired.

Hermione smiled, but it was all teeth.

"Look, Granger, I plan on teaching you how to contact me in the same manner. It's dangerous and exhausting, but it's the best way for us to make contact especially if we are in dire straits."

"I'm still confused as to how you learned to perform legilimency over such long distances."

"I told you, Snape."

"Snape died at the Battle of Hogwarts, Malfoy. Do I need to recount the number of years he has been gone? Why would he teach you the extremes of Legitimacy?" Hermione reminded him snidely.

Malfoy began to study his fingernails again, "He knew."

"He knew what exactly?"

"He _knew_."

Snape knew that Malfoy didn't have a dark soul. He knew Malfoy would need the skills to take his place.

Malfoy was just full of surprises.

"Don't fucking smile like that at me, Granger." Malfoy was looking everywhere but at her. Sitting this close to Malfoy, Hermione could tell that his bored countenance was a bluff. If she hadn't spent every second of each meeting with him studying his facial expressions, she would have missed the tightness around his eyes. Even his relaxed posture was a lie. Hermione could see the tension in his shoulders through the thin fabric of his robes.

Hermione changed her smile into a smirk, "right, well are you going to wait all night to teach me how to contact your mind?"

* * *

Hours later, Hermione shook with fatigue. The shields around Malfoy's mind were better than hers. Malfoy had her repeatedly throw herself against his mind while he focused on the different objects on their writing table.

"Granger," Malfoy growled in frustration, "you can't break into my mind with brute force."

Hermione only grunted as she slumped in her chair.

Malfoy rubbed his temples and Hermione watched a bead of sweat roll down the side of his face.

"You need to cast your mind out. I know the concept of being lazy is foreign to you, but you're focusing too hard. Let your mind bounce around the cavern. You're familiar with my mind so just let my flavor draw you in. You are trying too hard to force yourself into my mind. You need to catch me unaware and slip between the cracks in my shields."

"Didn't you say that for you to contact me, I had to be thinking about you?" Hermione huffed.

"Over a long distance, yes, but we are sitting in the same room. You need to be able to communicate with me even when my shields are up." Malfoy sounded more exhausted that she did.

"I still don't understand! If I can get through your shields that wouldn't anyone else be able to as well? What would be the bloody point of your shields then?"

"I thought you were smart. There have been maybe a handful of people in wizarding history who have been skilled enough to do what we are attempting. There is a weak point in every shield no matter how strong it is and you need to find mine."

"Fine" Hermione ground out. She leaned forward and placed her palms on the desk as Malfoy resume staring at his teacup.

Hermione started to focus her mind and then stopped. She needed to broaden her horizons. She needed to cast out her mind into every crevasse of the cave. Hermione pictured tentacles in her mind. Hundreds of tentacles that spread all over the room. She felt tiny flashes of consciousness all over the cavern flare across her mind. The space was crawling with organisms, and Hermione suppressed a shudder. She was a hardened war soldier. It was ridiculous that a centipede should bother her.

Malfoy's presence burned brightly compared to the others organisms in the cavern. She wanted badly to extend one of her tentacles of thought toward him but resisted. Hermione started to understand what Malfoy meant when he said flavor. She could practically taste the dirt and stone within the small space where they sat. Malfoy's flavor reminded her peppermint extract; refreshing but harsh and stinging. Her parents used to mixed their own toothpaste at their dental practice, and she had always loved the smell of the peppermint extract they used.

Hermione mulled over Malfoy's words. She just needed to find a weakness in his defenses. Hermione made a quick decision and reached out to grab Malfoy's hand. He jumped when she clamped down on his hand, and his eyes shot to hers. It only took him a moment to realize what she was trying and then his eyes snapped back to the teacup. He was too late. In the moment he was distracted Hermione saw the way into his mind. Malfoy's shield didn't come down, but she had seen a slight flicker. Malfoy's presence shone brightly in small space compared to the other organisms, but his light was muted. It was like when a sheet placed over a lamp. The light still shined through just not as brightly. When she broke Malfoy's concentration, the slight waver in his shields disrupted the steady light he emitted. If Hermione's entire being hadn't been focused on Malfoy's light, she would have missed it entirely.

She wasn't even sure that the slight disturbance was the weakness she was looking for but after hours of nothing, she was willing to test it. She slowly sent one strand of thought toward Malfoy. She wanted to brush her conscious against his in incriminates before she tested his weak area. Minutes passed as she continued to brush small tendrils of thought casually against him. She slowly began to test the area she saw waver. The more she brushed against it, the more she knew it was the weakness she was looking for. She pictured a worm in soil as she dug at the weakness.

Hermione lost track of time as she wormed through the layers of Malfoy's shield. Finally, she felt a slight give and slipped into his mind. Hermione needed to tread carefully. She didn't want to alert him to her presence. The opportunity to faery through Malfoy's mind was too good to miss. The mind was a tricky place to navigate, and no two minds were the same. What worked in one person's mind would not work in another's. The mind was both limitless and limited. She could easily lose herself in Malfoy's mind.

Hermione was surprised to find Malfoy's mind organized. It seemed he compartmentalized everything. No stray thoughts bounced off the different areas of his mind. She could tell what each box signified, but beyond that, she couldn't tell. Hermione was sure if she ventured into the wrong box Malfoy would know immediately. So, she searched for his current thoughts and found them easily. While his current thoughts were placed in a box, it was like the lid wasn't closed. She slipped easily into his thoughts.

 _If Granger masters this then maybe I will actually make it out of the war alive._

 _Bloody cheeky her grabbing my hand like that._

 _Might as well be a dung beetle if she thinks that's enough to get through my shields._

 _Still, her skills easily rival my own_.

 _If she doesn't give up soon, I'm liable to pass out._

In Malfoy's thoughts, she could sense pain. The pain tasted bitter. She decided to end her charade. She suppressed a grin as she thought about what she was going to do.

Hermione waited a second more before shouting _BOO!_

She slipped out of his mind before he could clamp down. Tears began to build in her eyes as laughter bubbled in her chest. Malfoy had started violently and sent his teacup flying. His startled expression was well worth the day's efforts.

"Oi, fuck me!" Malfoy shouted as he jumped to his feet and clutched his side.

Hermione couldn't contain herself and burst into laughter. She laughed so hard she fell off her chair. Malfoy stood above her and scowled.

"Very funny, Granger. How long were you lurking in my mind?" Malfoy asked pointedly.

"Long enough" Hermione wheezed as she pulled herself upright.

"Do you think you could do it again?"

"I'm sure I could" Hermione confirmed.

"Good because I'm tired of sitting in this dirty cave with you" Malfoy snapped.

"I could heal your wound for you" Hermione gestured to his side.

"I don't need your help. I need sleep and my feather mattress."

"Well, don't let me stop you then."

Malfoy gave her one last calculating look and disapparated.

Hermione had ruffled his feathers and smirked as she too turned into the void.

* * *

A/N: This is my longest chapter yet. I'm hoping that all of my future chapters will be this long, if not longer. It's amazing what I can write while I'm supposed to be doing homework. Please R&R!

xoxo Lall


	6. Chapter 6

I don't own anything Harry Potter related. All rights belong to J.K. Rowling. As always, I'm just someone who lays awake at night thinking up alternate plot lines.

* * *

Hermione wiped the sweat from her brow. Voldemort had made a reckless move and attacked in the middle of muggle London. Over the years, the death eaters occasionally launched offensives in muggle inhabited areas like the battle of Godric's Hollow three years past, but each time the Order managed to repel the attacks without any muggle casualties. Today was different. Today, the death eaters apparated in the center of Piccadilly Circus and began to curse muggles. The logistics of today made Hermione's head spin.

Malfoy warned the Order that the death eaters were getting desperate after their last string of defeats. He warned that their target would be mass casualties, but neither of them imagined the chaos of today. The Order was spread thin already but had stationed a pair of wizards in every major city in Britain. A paltry number to be sure, but that was all they could spare. The Order never imagined the death eaters would be this bold. Hermione doubted they would be able to contain the events of today.

Hermione viciously cut down a death eater going after a member of Neville's squad. Neville was in charge of containment, and those under his charge wore robes of deep green. Hermione could make out twenty or so wizards in green holding a shrouding spell over the entire intersection. Those numbers would never measure up to the force needed to contain the fighting. Hermione knew most of them would die of exhaustion. The rest of the containment squad was either obliviating or redirecting muggles who were in the immediate area. Whenever one of the wizards holding the shrouding spell fainted, one of the rovers would take their place.

Hermione wore robes of blue to signify she belonged to the special reaction team. Her squad was specifically on the lookout for members of the inner circle. Her, Ron, and Harry all wore robes of blue along with a few others who had belonged to Dumbledore's Army. Hermione almost smiled at the irony. The ragtag group of children who once decided to learn defense against the dark arts to stay alive now were a specialized hit team. They gave up long ago trying to capture members of the inner circle. Death was the only thing that awaited the most loyal to Voldemort. Even Harry no longer sought only to disarm.

Hermione dispatched any death eater who crossed her path, but she was hunting for Rabastan Lestrange. Each member of her squad was given a specific person to target, and Hermione knew Rabastan would be in the Circle. Malfoy emphasized at their last meeting that members of the inner circle would be leading the attacks. All Hermione had to do was stay vigilant, and she would find him.

Hermione sidestepped a downed Order fighter and grimaced. Whoever they were, they were no longer. She could tell they had been male but where their face should have been only a bloody crater remained. The rest of Order fighters wore standard black robes that resembled Hogwarts uniforms. Standard black robes were the easiest to acquire and mend. Besides, no one would mistake an Order member for a death eater, with their skull masks.

Hermione looked around the intersection and realized that the Order now outnumbered the death eaters. The bodies of fallen death eaters littered the ground. Voldemort's forces never cared enough to retrieve their dead. Instead, the Order would take their dead and cremate their bodies. Hermione often wondered if their families would one day think to look for them only to find nothing but ashes.

Slowly, the remaining death eaters disappeared leaving haggard Order members behind. Hermione sought out Harry and Ron who nodded to her before beginning to clean up the aftermath of the fighting. The three were often separated during skirmishes because they tended to attract too much-unwanted attention together. However, they always sought each other out to make sure they all had made it alive. Hermione never even thought about it anymore and unconsciously looked for Harry's shaggy black hair and Ron's tall frame once the fighting stopped. Hermione needed to know that they were alive even if only barely.

Hermione started to help with the clean up when she felt a shiver in her mind. The aftertaste of peppermint made her whip her head around. Malfoy was in the intersection. Hermione could only guess that he was one of the faceless death eaters strewn about the ground. She relaxed her shields enough to search out his mind because she needed to find him before anyone else. When she reached for his mind, she got a brief impression of the underground. There was an entrance to the underground close by. Hermione quickly cast a disillusionment charm on herself and picked up her pace. The closer she got to the underground entrance the stronger Malfoy's presence became.

The underground was mostly empty. A few muggles mulled about in a dazed state. The effects of being obliviated clear in the way they stared listlessly off into nothing. Hermione started to search for Malfoy's mind again when she was grabbed from behind and pulled into a utility closet.

Malfoy had her arm in a firm grip, but she could tell he was using it to hold himself up. He had on his death mask and black robes, but she could easily distinguish the way he carried himself. Hermione did not miss the fact that he was clutch the same side that was injured at their last meeting.

"Granger" Malfoy moaned as he stepped back and slid down the wall of the utility closet.

Hermione rushed to him and pulled off his mask. Malfoy was beyond pale. She had seen corpses with better color than the waxy pallor of his skin.

"Merlin!" Hermione swore as she watched him pull his hand away from his side covered in blood. His eyes fluttered, and his breath came out in gasps.

Hermione gripped Malfoy's shoulders and disappeared.

They landed with a heavy thud in their cave. Malfoy was a heavy bugger, Hermione thought, as she rolled him onto his side. She checked his breathing and was relieved to find he was still pulling in air through his mouth.

Hermione worked quickly as she began pulling items out of her beaded bag. Trekking through the wilderness with Harry and Ron had taught her a thing or two about preparedness. She carried fewer books and more food. Hermione started to expand the twin-sized bed and water basin she also kept in her bag. Hermione silently mused that no functioning government meant there was no one to arrest her for illegally expanding her handbag.

Hermione levitated Malfoy onto the bed and vanished his robes. She gasped at the carnage. The idiot had let his wound fester. His entire right side looked black with decay. The opening of the wound was the size of a galleon but black bruising surrounding it was the size of a quaffle. Blackened veins seemed spider out across his chest and disappeared under his back.

Hermione started to hyperventilate. Malfoy was dying.

He shuddered violently and snapped her out of her building horror. Hermione summoned her strongest antiseptic and dumped it into his wound. Hysteria started to choke her as she watched his wound smoke. Thankfully Hermione carried both magical and muggle medicines because she would need everything even to have Malfoy make it through the night.

Hermione uncorked a vial of dittany and used a simple spell to crush a dose of strong antibiotics and steroids. She could only pray that Malfoy wouldn't be allergic. She mixed the crushed pills with water and hesitated. Malfoy's life and role in the war were essential. She summoned her bottled of Felix Felicis. She carefully added one drop to her mixture and swirled the contents. She dared not add more or risk killing Malfoy even sooner. Felix Felicis used a witch or wizard's own energy and life force to create their luck and with Malfoy already on the brink of death more than a drop could suck the vitality right from him. Magic always has consequences and creating your own luck was no exception.

Hermione knelt beside his head and put the goblet to his lips.

"Malfoy, you need to drink" she commanded. He gave no response. She parted his lips and tilted his head back to pour the liquid down his throat. He started to sputter and cough.

"Malfoy! Malfoy, come on, you need to drink this" Hermione coaxed.

Malfoy began to shake his head back and forth. Hermione sat up on the bed and supported his neck to better help him drink.

Hermione tried a different tactic and started in a soothing voice, "Draco, please, you need to drink this. I am trying to help you."

He stopped shaking his head and opened bloodshot eyes to look at her. She nodded encouragingly and put the goblet back to his lips. His eyes looked glassy and fever crazed, but he took a gulp.

"Good, keep drinking," Hermione said approvingly.

Draco finished the cup, and his eyes slowly slid closed. Hermione lowered him back to the bed and brushed the fringe from his forehead. She rested her palm against his forehead and noted he was extremely hot. She almost snorted as she imagined his comeback to her thoughts.

Hermione felt immediate relief that she was able to get him to drink and take the medicine. She hoped the liquid luck would be enough for Draco to pull through. However, she still needed to see what she could do about the hole in his side. Without knowing exactly how it was caused she would have to resort to crude methods.

She looked closely at the hole and assessed the area with her hands. Tarry blood oozed from the site. She wasn't sure if whatever spell or weapon used was poisoned or disrupted his body's natural ability to coagulate. The only saving grace appeared to be that he hadn't gone septic yet. The best she would be able to do is burn away the diseased flesh and use the dittany to help with the healing. She would dose Draco again in two hours with more steroids and antibiotics, but the wound itself needed to be healed.

Hermione started a fire and set a cauldron with water on to boil. She cut one of her spare robes into strips to be boiled. Next, she discarded her own robe and began to plait her hair. She was in for a long night and wanted to be comfortable. Once she was done, she gripped her wand and cast a quick glance at Draco's pallid face, before casting her first spell.

Hours passed before Hermione finally stood and stretched her back. Draco would pull through, but the scar would be ugly and haunt him for the rest of his life. She doubted he would care, seeing how the alternative would have been death, but she still tried to minimize the damage. While she had worked, however she noticed a multitude scars all over his torso. Some were small while others were thick and ropey. A particularly nasty scar on his shoulder looked dreadful. She would have to remember to ask him about it.

Hermione was exhausted and only had one bed in her possession. She debated transfiguring another, but she lacked the energy. Cozying up with Draco also didn't seem like a viable option. She hadn't spent an ungodly number of hours saving his life for him to wake up and curse her out of her own bed. Besides he would make a dreadful bed partner with all his moaning and fidgeting. It was a shame she didn't have any dreamless sleep draught because if he squirmed anymore he might tear the precariously healed flesh on his side.

Hermione sighed and scrubbed her hands down her face. She winced as she took in the sight of her hands, covered his Draco's blood. Dark blood crusted in her nail beds and under her fingernails. She needed to clean herself up.

She vanished the bloody rags from her cauldron and scourgified it before filling it with water again. She rekindled the fire beneath it and sat down to warm her hands. She watched the flames lick the bottom of the cauldron. She had honestly not expected Draco to survive. The liquid luck must have done more than she thought it would. She summoned her bag and checked her clock. She had worked on Draco for more than 14 hours. She was by no means an expert on healing, but even Poppy would be proud of the work she had done. Hermione was brilliant, but something about healing always escaped her. She'd had countless talks with Poppy about the art of healing and what she was missing. Poppy always gave her a sad smile and told her that her application was flawless, but she lacked compassion.

Hermione scoffed into the flames. She was compassionate. Wasn't she the one who convinced the Council to include the werewolves and giants? Did she not labor endlessly to make everyone fighting for the Order feel valuable and wanted? Even fighters who had defected from Voldemort's side? Sometimes she worried that she was too compassionate about too many things. Ron was always going on about her compassionate nature and how she made a project out of everything.

She checked the temperature of the water and set it down on the floor. She plunged her hands into the hot water and began to scrub vigorously. What had made saving Draco any different from the hundreds of other patients she had healed? She was certainly more desperate to save him, but did that make a difference? She was too tired to contemplate the finer points of healing. She sat back on her heels and after vanishing the bloody water.

Hermione sat watching the flames when Draco began to thrash violently. She rushed to his side and put her hands on his chest to steady him. His eyes were wild under his eyelids, and his mouth worked in a silent scream.

Hermione found herself straddling him trying to restrain his movements.

Draco's eyes shot open, "Granger."

"Draco, you're safe! I'm here. You're okay" Hermione said while using her body weight to keep him still.

Draco made eye contact, and she felt him brush against her mind before sagging in relief.

"Granger" he rasped.

"I'm here, Draco" Hermione reaffirmed.

Hermione let out a sigh when he seemed to drift back off. Hermione repositioned herself behind him and brought his back flush with her front. Draco left the connection to his mind open, and Hermione looked into his thoughts. They seemed oddly calm after his sudden outburst. The orderly segments of his mind seemed to flow around one image. An image of her in her Hogwarts uniform. Her hair bushy and frazzled with her book bag overloaded with giant tomes. Hermione focused on the image of herself. She couldn't be more than fourteen years old. Her image would smile and then waver to be replaced by a look of terror or dismay or even joy. Hermione watched as every emotion filtered across her expression. It was startling to know that Draco saw her so openly. Even more frightening was how detailed the image he had of her in his mind. She always imaged that Draco's perception of her would be grotesquely distorted and the perfect rendition of her teenage self. Hermione slipped from his mind and felt his body shudder. She placed her cheek on the top of his head and sighed. Draco was confusing at best and infuriating at worst. He saw her more clearly than people she called her closest friends and had apparently seen through her for years. For the first time, Hermione started to doubt that he hated her. Someone who saw her so clearly couldn't hate her as he claimed.

With another heavy sigh, Hermione wordlessly summoned her wand from beside the cauldron she had used to scrub her hands. She sent her Patronus off to Harry before wiggling into a comfortable position. She placed one hand on Draco's forehead and the other gripping her wand across his chest. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

* * *

Draco woke to the feeling of being pleasantly warm. His body felt like he had been hit by a thousand bludgers, but the soothing scent of vanilla and honey assaulted his nose. He knew the scent but couldn't place why he smelled it now. He breathed deep and attempted to move, but found that he couldn't. Draco pried his eyes open and looked around.

The first thing he saw was the roof of their cavern. He tried to move but felt a pressure on his head and chest. He glanced down and saw Hermione's arm across his chest with her Vinewood wand gripped tightly. He glanced up and realized she also had a hand across his forehead.

Draco's eyes widened when he realized his head was nestled in between Hermione's breasts. The delicious warmth he had awoken to was her body heat. Now that he was properly awake, he could feel her chest rise and fall with each breath that ruffled his hair on exhale. He tried to move again, and Hermione tightened her hold and grumbled in her sleep. The witch even had her legs wrapped around his waist.

"Granger."

Nothing.

"Granger," he drawled again.

Hermione opened her bleary eyes in confusion.

"Granger, I can't move" came Draco's dry reply.

Hermione's tongue seemed stuck to the roof of her, and she gave an unintelligible reply.

"Granger, do you mind letting go of me?" Draco inquired.

"What?" Hermione shook her head trying to clear the sleep. Draco fidgeted under her hands, and she came crashing back to reality. She unclenched her legs and slid out from behind him.

"About bloody time," Draco huffed while attempted to look disgusted.

"Oh, piss off! I can't believe you almost let yourself die!" Hermione said as she stood from the bed and pulled the thin blanket down to examine his side.

"I wasn't trying to die" Draco responded drolly before wincing as Hermione rubbed more dittany over the area.

Draco watcher her through hooded eyes as she pulled and stretched his skin. Hermione checked the pulse at his wrist and then circled to the end of the bed to pinch his toes. She watched in relief as his toes resumed their normal color.

Draco fidgeted again and crossed his arms across his chest.

"Where are my clothes?" He asked in a demanding tone.

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Do I need to remind you that you were dying."

"I am in danger of dying every day, and you don't see me parading around naked" he retorted.

"Draco, what on earth happened to you? I honestly thought you were going to die. I have never seen a wound like that before. Do you know many times I thought to hang it all and apparated straight back to the Order with you? Whatever curse that was used was spreading across your entire body. I think even Poppy would have been discouraged" Hermione lectured as she rummaged in her bag for more medication.

Draco groaned as he pulled himself into a sitting position and drew the blanket over his lap.

"I got into a slight disagreement with another death eater."

"You got into a slight disagreement with another death eater?" Hermione repeated sarcastically.

"Is your bushy hair somehow impairing your hearing?" Draco snapped.

Hermione snorted and handed him four white oblong tablets, and watched in disbelief as Draco swallowed them without a fuss.

"You wouldn't happen to have any aspirin in that bag of yours would you?" he inquired.

"You know what aspirin is?" Hermione asked dumbly.

Draco rested his head against the metal frame of the bed and closed his eyes, "desperate times, love."

Hermione shook her head in confusion, "I think I have a pain potion somewhere."

"I'd rather the aspirin if you have it. Workers better than a standard pain potion."

Hermione stood looking at Draco with her arm in her beaded bag and her mouth hanging open in shock.

"While I'm still young, Granger" Draco intoned.

Hermione snapped her jaw shut and resumed pilfering her bag for the aspirin. Hermione wordlessly handed him the aspirin and watched him swallow the pills without a problem. Even Ron struggled with muggle healing and downright refused standard inoculations like a tetanus shot. Watching a death eater and all around blood purist not even bat an eye at muggle healing was disconcerting.

handed him the aspirin and watched him swallow the pills without a problem. Even Ron struggled with muggle healing and downright refused standard inoculations like a tetanus shot. Watching a death eater and all around blood purist not even bat an eye at muggle healing was disconcerting.

Hermione conjured a chair and sat observing Draco.

"Out with it already, I can hear you thinking from here, and its quite annoying" Draco griped.

Hermione thought carefully before answering him, "you're a liar."

Draco looked shocked by her statement but quickly schooled his features.

"Astute observation. I am plotting to overthrow the Dark Lord, so lying is a part of the job description" Draco replied sardonically.

Hermione smirked. She didn't know why the corner of her mouth decided to turn up, but Draco's carefully schooled features amused her. Maybe it was because she recognized that he was indeed schooling his feature, and not blandly disinterested. The careful mask he employed showed her that he had something to hide. A side of him that new about muggle medicine and kept an image of her in his head.

Draco twitched under her knowing gaze but otherwise said nothing.

Hermione's smirk grew, "you don't hate me."

Draco scoffed, "Your right, I don't hate you. I loathe you entirely, and once this is over, I hope I'll never have to look into your dirty breed eyes."

Hermione leaned back into her chair and ground her teeth, "liar."

"The truth hurt, Granger?" Draco mocked.

Hermione relaxed her jaw, "I don't know, Draco, you tell me." At his confused look she continued, "Your mind is an interesting place." Hermione saw his moment of panic before he replaced it with cocky bravado.

"I'm an interesting wizard" he sneered.

"Well, I can't say that I disagree" Hermione responded dryly.

Hermione stood and vanished her chair.

"You're probably starving, and I've got some canned food. We'll eat a bite and then we need to be off. We have been gone for too long."

Draco looked taken aback by her sudden shift in topic but also relieved.

Hermione allowed herself another smirk. He was sorely mistaken if he thought she would let her new insight into his mind rest, but at the moment they were out of time. She would save this discussion for another day when he hadn't just escaped death's clutches. Plus, she needed more time to mull over the feelings and images she had seen in his mind. Draco Malfoy had surprised her again. It was starting to become a habit.

* * *

A/N: Another chapter posted! It only took me about a month longer than I planned. I should probably try to write one fic at a time, but my mind doesn't seem to work that way. I hope you guys are ready for some soul-bearing in the next chapter!

XOXO Lall


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